CINCINNATI – This was exactly the kind of game that should give Bills fans pause, because until the Bills fix their awful offense, the exciting 3-1 start will soon be forgotten.

On a rainy day at Paul Brown Stadium, a Bengals team that tried as hard as it could to give the game away, failed to do so because the Bills refused to take it. Buffalo’s defense forced three turnovers, Brandon Tate ripped off a 40-yard punt return that set the Bills up at the Bengals 12 in the fourth quarter, and still, it didn’t matter.

Tyrod Taylor, with no NFL starting-caliber receivers, had almost no chance, the Bills managed only one touchdown, and fell 20-16 to a Cincinnati team that really isn’t very good.

With Jordan Matthews inactive due to thumb surgery, and tight end Charles Clay knocked out of the game in the first quarter, the Bills’ passing game was laughable. The receivers couldn’t get open, Taylor often had nowhere to throw, and with the Bills running game again mostly stagnant, it can’t get into the end zone.

Taylor completed 20 of 37 passes, but they went for just 167 yards, and he threw his first interception since opening day on the final possession that effectively ended the game.

With rain pouring down at the start of the game, there were plenty of empty seats in the stadium, and those who stayed home missed a dynamic play early. On the first snap of Cincinnati’s second possession, A.J. Green flat out beat Bills rookie cornerback Tre’Davious White for a 77-yard touchdown.

It looked like there was no help over the top, and if there was, Andy Dalton’s play fake might have been just enough to keep the safety out of the play.

The Bills pulled within 7-3 with 10 seconds left in the first quarter, though it was a costly drive. Already playing without Matthews, Buffalo lost Clay after he was hit on the knee by Shawn Williams following his 24-yard reception in front of the Bills sideline.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandon Tate (15) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Cincinnati. Gary Landers/AP

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandon Tate (15) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Cincinnati. Gary Landers/AP

Nick O’Leary took over and on the next play made a 19-yard reception, then LeSean McCoy broke an 11-yard run to the 19, but the series stalled and Stephen Hauschka kicked a 31-yard field goal.

The Bengals answered with a 12-play, 63-yard drive to Randy Bullock’s 30-yard field goal, but on the first play of their next possession, Dalton was picked off by Micah Hyde – the safety’s NFL-leading fourth of the season – and his return went to the Cincinnati 23.

Taylor converted a third-and-3 with a pass to McCoy, and then on third-and-10 from the 12, threw a dart to Tate on a seam route and Tate made a nice catch for the tying touchdown.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Brandon Tate (15) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Cincinnati.(Photo: Gary Landers/AP)

Buffalo’s defense forced two turnovers in the third quarter, and both were on Green. On the first, he had a pass go right through his hands and the ball caromed to Jordan Poyer for the interception at the Bengals 36. However, the offense went backwards as a holding penalty on tackle Dion Dawkins wiped out a first down and cost the Bills a chance for a field goal.

On the ensuing possession, the Bengals were driving, but Lorenzo Alexander leveled Green after he’d caught a pass over the middle and caused a fumble and Poyer was again there to scoop it up. From there, the Bills drove 51 yards to Hauschka’s 38-yard field goal.

Cincinnati took the lead for good on the first play of the fourth quarter on Joe Mixon’s five-yard run. The Bills thought they had stopped the Bengals, but a pass interference penalty on Greg Mabin – active because cornerback E.J. Gaines is injured – was flagged on a third-and-10. Two plays later, Green beat White again, this time for a 47-yard gain to the 5, from where Mixon scored to make it 17-13.

The Bills had a golden chance to regain the lead after Brandon Tate’s 40-yard punt return, plus a penalty tacked on to the end, which created a drive start at the Bengals 12. Instead, Taylor threw an incomplete pass on a fade to Zay Jones, McCoy was blown up for a loss of four, and a pass to McCoy didn’t convert the third down. Hauschka kicked a 28-yard field goal to cut Buffalo’s deficit to 17-16.

Bullock tacked on a 29-yard field with 3:33 left, and Taylor was picked off three plays later.